Valve mechanism for wells



Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR WELLS.

Application led February 19, 1923. Serial No. 620,110.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. BENCK- ENs'rEIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Vinton, in the parish of Calcasieu and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Valve Mechanisms for Wells, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to valve mechanisms for wells, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a valve ,mechanism which will greatly facilitate the setting and washing of wells.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve mechanism of this character which will eliminate the necessity for equalizing the pressure above and below the back pressure valve, as is necessary in the use of back pressure valves previously known.

A further advantage of the invention resides in the provision of a valve so constructed that it is impossible for it to be rendered inoperative by reason of encountering mud, sand, rocks, dbris, etc., as commonly happens in the previous practice.

Another advantage ofthe invention resides in the provision of a valve so constructed that it is impossible for sand or other matter to become lodged between the .valve and its seat, thereby preventing the proper seating of the valve.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a valve mechanism whichv may be employed to aid in pulling the screen.

v ln order that the advantages of the present invention may be more clearly understood, I will first briefly describe a few of the diiiculties that are often encountered inI the setting and washing of wells with the back pressure valves now in common use.

ln setting a well, with the old standard back pressure valve in use, it is necessary as the screen and liner are lowered intothe well a few hundred feet, to ll the screen and liner with heavy mud, in order that the pressure exerted by the mud in the hole will not force out the back pressure valve. In other words, the pressure against the back pressure valve must be equalized, in order that it will not be forced .out by coming into contact with or passing through the mud in the hole. This must be done not only after the screen and liner have been lowered into the hole a few hundred feet, but also at about every hundred feet, in order to keep the pressure substantially equalized at all times.

Another disadvantage resulting from the use of the old standard back pressure valve is that when the screen and liner have been lowered to within a few feet of the bottom of the well trouble is often encountered by reason of the mud, rocks, sand, and other residue that'may lay in the bottom of the hole, and force their way up through the nipple and against the back pressure valve, preventing its voperation entirely.

Another diiiiculty often encountered in the use of the old standard back pressure valveis that sand or other gritty substance lodges between the valve and the valve seat, thereby preventing the proper seating of the valve.

Furthermore, it is often necessary to pull the screen that has been set in the well; and this frequently becomes impossible, due to the packing of the mud, sand, etc., about the screen. Obviously, if it were possible to pump water or oil around the outside of the screen, the pressure on the screen would be relieved and it could be pulled; but it is impossible to do this with 'the old standard back pressure valve rendered inoperative from any one of numerous causes, a few of which have been outlined above.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a valve mechanism which will overcome all of the above mentioned diiiiculties, and others well known to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains.

The invention will now be described in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which: f

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the Vlower portion of a well.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of my improved valve mechanism, the back pressure valve being in open position; and

Figure 3 is a similar view through the apparatus, showing the back pressure valve in closed position, the wash pipe and nozzle being shown in elevation.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, numeral l indicates the lower end of the usual well casing. Numeral 2 indicates the valve casing, whlch is equivalent of the ordinary mud nipple, and which is attached at its upper end to the lower end of the screen 3; the screen being connected to the liner 4 which extends up into the casing in the usual manner.

The valve is referred to by numeral 5, and it is provided with a valve stem 6 slidably mounted in the valve stem guide 7. A member 8 is also mounted in the valve casing, and the upper side of this member is provided with a valve seat'9, while the lower side thereof is provided with a second valve seat 10. rllhe valve 5 is normally pressed upward against its seat 10 by means of a coil spring l1 mounted on the valve stem 6.

The usual wash pipe is indicated by numeral 12, and mounted on the lower end thereof is a nozzle 13 having apertures 14 for the passage of water or oil; and also provided with a tapering shoulder .15 which is adapted to engage the upper valve seat 9. The member 8 is provided with a centrally arranged passage 16 to permit the nozzle 13 to pass therethrough and engage the valve 5, for a purpose to appear heremafter.

In the operation of setting a well, with the apparatus disclosed herein, the liner, screen and wash pipe are run into the well in the usual manner, but the wash' pipe which carries the nozzle 13 is so positioned that the nozzle extends through the central bore of the member 8, engages the valve 5 and forces it'to open position, as clearly shown in Figure 2. It is thus apparent that as the parts are lowered into the well the baclepressure valve is open and the mud is free to pass through the opening 14 into the wash pipe, thus equalizing the pressure on the valve, and eliminating the necessity of filling the screen and liner with mud, as in the prior practice. In my construction the back pressure valve is maintained in open position by the nozzle of the wash pipe as the parts are lowered into the hole, thus permitting a thorough washing of the well. When the nozzle is in its operative position, as shownfin Fi ure 2, the inclined shoulder 15 of the nozz e engages the up er valve seat 9, thereby avoiding any loss o vpressure in washin the well due to water from the wash pipe acking up into the liner.

After the well has been washed the wash pipe is raised, as shown in Figure 3, whereupon the valve 5 automatically closes itself by means of the spring 11.

It is to be noted that my valve mechanism cannot be rendered inoperative by reason of encounterin mud, sand, stone, etc., at the bottom of t e well. For the valve is positively held open when the parts are lowered into the hole, and when the wash pipe is withdrawn the valve will merel move upwardly into the space previousy occupied by the nozzle of the wash pipe, and thus there is nothing to prevent the proper functioning of the valve.

It is also to be noted that the present mechanism presents a ready means for assisting in the pulling of screens. If with the present device the operator makes an unsuccessful test and wishes to pull his screen, he can lowerl the wash pipe and nozzle into the well, allowing the nozzle to set down on the valve and force it open, thus allowin water or oil to be forced down the well an out around the screen, thereby relieving it of 'pressure and permitting its withdrawal.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what I now believe to be the best embodiment of the invention, but I do not wish to be understood thereby as limiting myself or the scope of the invention, as many chan es and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention; all such I aim to include in the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for wells, a wash pipe, a back pressure valve, and means attached to said wash pipe for engaging and opening the back pressure valve.

2. In an apparatus for wells, a wash pi e, a back pressure valve, a nozzle carried by t e lower end of the wash pipe, said nozzle being -constructed and arranged to engage and open the back pressure valve.

3. In an apparatus for wells, a member provided with a bore, a wash pipe, a back pressure valve, a nozzle carried by thel wash pipe, said nozzle adapted to pass through saidv bore and engage the back pressure valve.

4. In an apparatus for wells, a member provided with a bore and a valvelseat, a. wash pipe, a back pressure' valve, a nozzle carried y the wash pipe, a shoulder on said nozzle for engaging the valve seat when the nozzle is in operative position, said nozzle adapted to engage and open the back pressure valve.

5. In an apparatus forwe1ls,a back pressure valve, a wash pipe, means attached to said wash pipe for engaging'and openin the back pressure valve, and means for gui in 'said opening means to the back pressure v ve.

6. In an apparatus for wells, a member provided with `a bore, and a valve seat on its ower side, a back pressure valve adapted to engage the valve seat, a wash ipe, said wash pipe adapted to pass throng the bore and o n the back pressure valve.

7.4 an apparatus for wells, a member having a bore, and a valve seat on its upper side, a back pressure valve, a wash pipe, and means carried by the wash pipe for engaging the l.valve seat and opening the' back pressure valve.

8. In an apparatus for wells, a member having a valve seat in the upper and lower sides thereof, a back pressure valve for en- News@ gaging the lower vaive sea, end means for engaging the upper valve sem and opening the Valve.

9. iin an apparatus for Weis, e member having e bore therein, e *Juive seat in the upper and lower sides of the member, a, back pressure valve adapted to engage the ower Veve seat, a Wash pipe, a, nozzle carrie by the wesh pipe, said nozzle aapaed to project hrough the bore and open the beck pressure M Valve, and a, shoulder carried by the Wash pipe for engaging the upper Valve seat.

CHARLES H. BENCKENSTEN. 

